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An Artificial Muscle with Lamellar Structure Based on a Nematic Triblock Copolymer
Author(s) -
Li M.H.,
Keller P.,
Yang J.,
Albouy P.A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.200400658
Subject(s) - liquid crystal , lamellar structure , copolymer , materials science , isotropy , polymer , polymer science , rubber elasticity , liquid crystalline , phase transition , lamellar phase , crystallography , polymer chemistry , composite material , condensed matter physics , optics , physics , chemistry , optoelectronics
A muscle‐like material with a lamellar structure has been prepared for the first time from a liquid‐crystalline triblock copolymer. The material consists of a repeated series of nematic‐polymer blocks and conventional rubber blocks. The motor for the contraction is the reversible macromolecular‐chain shape change, from stretched to spherical, of the nematic polymer that occurs at the nematic‐to‐isotropic phase transition.